


That Darcy Effect

by PlanetClare



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Awkward Romance, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Caring, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Loneliness, Lonesome, Protective Darcy Lewis, Sorrow, That Darcy Effect, WinterShock - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-05 14:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18830977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlanetClare/pseuds/PlanetClare
Summary: What begins as a boring day for Bucky Barnes turns into a memorable one thanks to a run-in with Darcy Lewis.





	1. Chapter 1

Being the man who after 70 years was still considered to be the deadliest human on the planet made for a rather lonely existence for James “Bucky” Barnes. He worked undercover for Nick Fury hacking antigovernment systems, providing surveillance, and since he understands 8 languages, he sometimes translated sensitive intel. However, when he was not working, Bucky usually had virtually no human interaction.

When he had nothing else to do after his daily 3-hour morning workout, Bucky usually bought a newspaper and read it front to back. One day, as a change from the monotony, he decided to go to a small coffee shop two blocks from his tiny, dark apartment. When Bucky approached the barista, he placed his order.

“Medium house blend – black, please.”

Those five words were the first he had spoken in almost two weeks.

The soldier went to a table near the back of the shop, removed his black leather jacker, and draped it over the back of a chair. He had activated the cloaking mechanism on his cybernetic left arm to make it look like a biological arm – not because it made him feel less self-conscious but because it would not make others feel uncomfortable around him.

Soon, Bucky heard the barista call a name.

“Steve, your order’s up,” she yelled and placed the warm, white cup on the counter.

Often, using the name of his best friend, Steve Rogers, Bucky rose and walked over to pick up his coffee. Sitting back down, he began to sip the hot beverage as he read the headlines of the top stories on the front page of the newspaper. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

“I’d like a medium vanilla latte to go. Oh, and could I please have a double shot of vanilla? Thanks,” the young woman said.

Looking up from his paper, Bucky was pleased to see that it was scientist Jane Foster’s assistant Darcy Lewis. He smiled remembering their last encounter. Following a trip to the movies together, she had accidentally shocked him with her Taser. He was all right but suffered a 2-day headache. He later realized that the shock had fried a circuit in his cybernetic arm, so he had asked Fury to get Tech to repair it. That was months ago after which Bucky had become inundated with work, and they had fallen out of touch. His somber mood began to brighten as he was happy to see her again.

Just as Bucky was about to call to her, he stopped. He was aware that although he received a full government pardon for his crimes as the Winter Soldier, most people who knew who he was still either feared or hated him, or both.

‘What if she’s cooled on me or doesn’t want to be seen with me?’ he wondered as he sat staring at the lovely brunette. ‘I probably shouldn’t bother her,’ he told himself but continued to watch her as she waited at the pick-up counter for her coffee.

True to form, Darcy had counted out two dollar bills and many nickels and dimes to pay for her order. Bucky remembered that Jane was not able to pay Darcy much of a salary for her assistance, so it was not uncommon for her to pay for items with coins.

As she stood at the counter in her tan colored cloth coat, Darcy eventually began to look around the shop at the few other customers until her eyes met Bucky’s.

The broad smile on her face assured him that she was glad to see him, and she had not forgotten his past kindness to her.

“Winter!” Darcy mouthed and quickly approached him. As usual, her head was covered with one of her many toques, but her long, dark tresses cascaded well past her shoulders. Under her coat, she wore a light blue buttoned blouse and a pair of faded jeans.

When she reached Bucky’s table, she threw her arms around him giving the soldier a big hug which took him by surprise. She then stood back and admired how his black t-shirt and jeans emphasized his muscular physique.

“Hi, Darcy,” the former assassin said with a boyish grin.

“Winter, I’m so glad to see you!” she exclaimed as she removed her coat. Not waiting for an invitation to sit, she draped her coat over a chair and sat in the one across from him. “What are the chances – right?” She was still unaware that he secretly lived two blocks from the shop.

“Yeah,” he replied knowing that her apartment was two blocks in the opposite direction. He realized that if it were not for his solitary, clandestine work, they might actually run into each other more often.

“It’s been a while, huh? Whatcha been up to? Busy saving the world?” the charismatic young woman asked.

“Just...busy,” the soldier offered in his normally vague way. “Lately, things have been a bit quiet, though.”

“Yeah, me too. I mean, ever since Jane dumped Thor, we haven’t been constantly looking for signs of him. You know...cosmic anomalies and stuff like that. Now, we’re back to normal stuff in astrophysics.”

“‘Dumped Thor?’” Bucky asked not sure what she was talking about. “I’m not really up on the latest with who’s dating whom in the superhuman community,” he confessed.

“No? Well, yeah my boss Jane was ‘dating’ Thor, but she is so through with that dude. Not every girl can handle a ‘missing in action,’ long distance relationship,” Darcy stated with authority.

“Darcy!” the barista called.

“I’ll be right back,” she said as she rose and walked over to get her coffee.

While she was gone, Bucky thought about what she said. ‘Missing in action, long distance relationship.’ The words repeated in Bucky’s head. Sadly, he lamented that he would probably never find himself in a relationship at all – neither long distance nor otherwise.

When Darcy returned to the table, she resumed the conversation.

“You know Thor, right?”

Bucky let out a sharp laugh and then nodded. “Yeah, I know Thor.”

“What’s so funny?” wondered Darcy.

“Let’s just say that Thor’s not my biggest fan, and he’s not afraid of letting me know it.”

Darcy studied the soldier’s face for a moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“No need to apologize,” Bucky advised.

“Hey, what are you drinking?” she asked. “Can I buy you another?”

Smiling, Bucky knew that she scarcely had enough money to pay for her own drink let alone buy one for him as well, but he appreciated the offer.

“No, I’m good for now,” he assured her.

“So, what are you doing today? You have a planet to save?”

Bucky laughed and shook his head. He was glad that she did not ask if he had someone to kill.

“No, not today. I’ve got nowhere to be and nothing to do. It’s a very odd feeling,” he remarked quietly.

She could tell from his expression that the soldier seemed lonely.

“I don’t need to be anywhere, either. Would you mind if I sit here with you?” she asked.

The size of Bucky’s broad grin was the only answer she needed. She removed her blue toque and made herself comfortable.

Each time they finished a cup of coffee, Bucky bought another round. Neither was aware of how long they were together as they were enjoying each other’s company.

As Darcy spoke, Bucky seemed to hang on her every word. He smiled, laughed, and occasionally asked her questions that led her to elaborate on a comment or go off on a tangent.

‘Gee, Darcy. This guy’s either high or really into you,’ she thought when she stopped speaking for a moment. It was then that she realized she was doing most of the talking.

The fact was that not only was Bucky starved for human interaction, he genuinely enjoyed spending time with the witty brunette. He thought she was funny and charming in her own way. She was unlike anyone else he had ever met.

The two began to hear a low buzz coming from Darcy’s purse. Picking it up from the spare chair next to hers, she plopped her bag on the table and began to rummage through it.

“My phone gets lost more often than a 3-year-old in a mall,” she remarked.

Bucky chuckled and continued to watch her.

Darcy placed her wallet, keys, and Taser on the table, but it was her .mp3 player that caught Bucky’s attention.

Starring at a crack in the LED screen on the device, he asked, “What happened there?”

“Huh? Oh, I dropped it, but it still works...most of the time,” she said proudly. “It looks kinda Frankenstein, though,” she added referring to the clear tape that she had wrapped around it to keep the screen from falling off.

As Darcy pulled her phone out of her purse, Bucky picked up the damaged .mp3 player and turned it over in his right hand. After staring at it for a few moments, he placed it on the table next to her Taser as Darcy listened to a voicemail message.

The soldier could not help himself. When she was not looking at him, he stole glances at her. He admired the natural blush of her lips, her long eyelashes, and the way her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders. He was fascinated by her and enjoyed her company immensely though he could not tell her so.

Returning everything to her purse, Darcy said, “That message was from Jane. She wants me to go to the library tomorrow and pick up some books she reserved.”

“Oh...scientific books, huh?” Bucky wondered.

“Yeah, stuff most folks would probably find boring,” she remarked.

“I’m sure you could make it sound interesting,” he replied.

“Aw, thanks, Winter,” she cooed.

Bucky suddenly felt uncomfortable as if he were showing his feelings too much. “Want another?” he asked awkwardly.

“Yes, please,” Darcy said relieved that he kept offering since she did not have much money.

As Bucky rose and walked to the counter, Darcy looked over at a page of the newspaper which he had placed off to the side of the table. Her mouth slowly opened in shock as her eyes scanned the page.

When Bucky returned to the table, he noticed her expression.

“What?” he asked tentatively as if something horrible about his past had just been exposed.

“Dude, you did the crossword puzzle in ink.”

He stared at her curiously for a moment as relief set in.

“...Yeah...?” he remarked.

“With no mistakes – nothing crossed out.”

Confused, he said, “I don’t understand.”

“Winter, that makes you some kind of genius!”

Bucky laughed quietly and shook his head slowly from side to side. “It’s just a puzzle – no big deal.”

“Are you kidding? I couldn’t hope to finish that with a pencil, a good eraser, and all the answers,” she confessed.

“It’s really nothing,” he assured her becoming embarrassed.

“Steve!” called the barista.

As Bucky rose to get the order, Darcy laughed to herself finding it amusing that he was using the name of his best friend instead of his own.

When Bucky turned and walked toward her, Darcy noticed that the barista was looking him up and down and smiling.

‘Dude is hot and doesn’t even know it,’ she thought.

Returning to the table, Bucky put her cup in front of her, sat down, and gave her a shy grin.

“Thanks,” she said sincerely. After a few moments of silence, she asked, “So, what did you do today?” knowing full well that he probably could not tell her.

He thought for a few moments and against his better judgment decided to offer a few details about his work.

“Nothing but my morning workout today but yesterday, I did some translating.”

Shocked that he actually shared some details of his life with her, she asked, “Translating? You mean from one language to another?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

“Well, that’s cool, ‘Winter Smolder.’ How many languages do you speak?”

Laughing at the new moniker she gave him, he replied, “Eight. Well, seven actually.”

“Eight? Seven? Come on...which is it? Are you lying, Winter?” she joked.

“No!” he declared. “I speak seven and understand French. I don’t speak it well, but I do understand it. Those verbs are hard for me to conjugate.”

“Oh, now you’re just being modest,” Darcy teased.

“You hush,” he replied with a laugh.

“So, which languages do you speak, smart guy?”

After taking a sip of coffee, Bucky said, “German, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, and English, of course. Like I said, I understand French but don’t speak it.” As if on cue, his hair fell forward obscuring the left side of his face.

“Did you train your hair to do that, Winter?” she asked with a laugh.

“Do what?” he asked tucking his hair behind his ear.

‘Damn! He’s like a walking shampoo commercial! Looking that good all comes naturally for him,’ she thought.

“Well, eight languages...I’m impressed. You really _are_ smart, aren’t you Winter?”

“Not really,” he whispered as he rested his right elbow on the table and propped his chin on his hand. Wishing to change the subject, Bucky asked, “So, how about _you?_ Other than picking up books, what have you been up to?”

Oh, man! I’m a busy girl, I’ll have you know,” she said, which made Bucky smile. “Running errands, making coffee, carrying equipment, typing scientific essays – it’s all high tech, fascinating stuff. I’d explain it all to you, but it’s pretty complicated.”

The two burst into laughter.

Admiring Bucky’s smile, Darcy told herself, ‘It’s not fair that he’s so feared and misunderstood. He’s really a nice guy.’

It had not escaped her attention that the soldier had been smiling since the minute she walked in. It had not escaped _his_ attention, either. For some reason, Darcy had that effect on him. When he was with her, he felt cared for – that he mattered and had worth.

Suddenly, Bucky’s cell phone began to buzz, so he slid it in front of him from where it rested on the table to his right. As he looked down at it, his long brown hair draped his face obscuring most of it.

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he continued to read his text message.

“You look like Cousin It,” Darcy joked as she stared at the top of his head.

After a few moments, he asked, “Huh?” without looking up.

“Nothing,” she said and then slowly leaned forward to take a peek at his cell phone. Unable to stop herself, she asked, “Who’s ‘White Wolf?’”

Bucky looked up at her abruptly.

“I'm sorry. I can read upside down,” she apologized sincerely.

He knew that she was just curious.

“No, _I’m_ sorry,” he said turning his phone screen-side down on the table. “That was rude of me. I’m not used to being around people,” he confessed quietly.

“No worries,” she assured him.

As the two sat quietly for a moment, Darcy realized again that she had been doing most of the talking. It did not seem to bother Bucky who smiled and found it hard to contain how happy he was to have someone to talk to for a change.

Realizing that they had been sitting there for a few hours, Darcy finally said, “After all this caffeine, you must be hungry. The least I can do is feed you.”

Thinking for a moment, Bucky cautiously replied, “I guess I could eat.” He thought, ‘It’s better than spending the rest of the day alone in my shithole apartment.’

“I’ve got some spaghetti at home, if that’s okay,” she offered.

“Sure. That sounds good,” the soldier agreed.

Darcy waited while Bucky folded his newspaper and left it for another customer to read. He then put on his leather jacket and followed her to the door.

On their walk to Darcy's apartment, she asked, “So, are you ever going to tell me where you live? I mean, you didn’t ride your motorcycle to the coffee shop, so you must live within walking distance.”

“Very observant,” he remarked impressed by her power of deduction. ‘That’s another thing I like about her,’ he thought. ‘She’s smart – not just pretty.’

“Well?” she asked.

“Well what?” he replied knowing exactly what she meant.

Darcy sighed and said, “Okay, you’re never going to tell me.”

Bucky smiled and winked at her to indicate that she was right – he would not. He knew she’d be thrilled to know that his apartment was within a few blocks of hers, but she would never know that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky becomes embarrassed when his emotions get the better of him.

When Bucky and Darcy entered her building, they were met by her superintendent at the foyer.

"Well, hello there, young couple!" the elderly gentleman said cheerfully. Speaking to Bucky, he said, "Young man, I haven't seen you in a while. Are you neglecting your sweetheart, Miss Lewis?"

Embarrassed, Darcy scolded, "Mr. Higgins! I told you, he's not my ― "

"Good afternoon, Sir," Bucky said with a nod.

"It's nice to see you two together. I remember when I was dating my wife. What a lovely flower she was," the grandfatherly man said as he climbed a ladder to change a burned out light bulb in the hallway.

"Could I do that for you, Sir?" Bucky offered.

"No, no! You two go on with what you were doing. I can handle this."

"Well, if you need help, I'll be here visiting Darcy. Feel free to ask," offered Bucky and then followed her up the stairs to her apartment.

Apologizing, Darcy advised, "I'm sorry. I keep telling him we're not dating, but I don't think he listens."

"No worries," Bucky assured her. "Maybe he just forgets. We old folks do that, you know."

Darcy scoffed and replied, "He's beginning to sound like one of those moms who's always asking for grandkids."

'Maybe it's not him. Maybe she just doesn't want to be linked to me,' Bucky thought.

Secretly, Darcy liked the fact that when people saw her with Bucky, they thought the two were a couple, but she was embarrassed for him to know it.

As the two removed their jackets, Darcy said, "Make yourself comfortable," before disappearing into her bedroom.

While Darcy was gone, Bucky decided to start warming up the spaghetti, so he strode to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. He was not surprised at how empty it was. He remembered from the last time he was there. What did surprise him was that there was no spaghetti in sight.

When Darcy returned, she was wearing grey sweatpants and a blue t-shirt with SpongeBob SquarePants on it.

"Sorry, but I had to get comfortable."

When Bucky did not respond, she asked, "Wow, so you're really not going to rip me for this?"

Confused, Bucky asked, "What do you mean?"

"You're not gonna say, 'SpongeBob? _Really?'"_

"What's a SpongeBob?"

Shocked, she asked, "Are you serious? You really don't know who SpongeBob is?"

"Uh...nope."

Pointing to her t-shirt, she advised, _"This_ is SpongeBob."

"Oh, so it's a cartoon?" the curious soldier asked staring at her shirt.

Darcy raised her eyebrows and stared back at him. Finally, she said, "Okay, I guess you've been busy with work. Anyway, let's get cooking."

"Yeah, about that..." Bucky said. "I didn't see the spaghetti in the fridge."

"That's because it _ain't_ in the fridge, silly," she replied as she opened a cabinet door. She then placed a packet of noodles on the counter in front of him.

Bucky stared at the packet for a few moments before looking at her and saying, "Oh...I thought we were having leftovers."

"Oh, you _wish,_ Winter," she laughed.

"Well, if we need to cook, why don't we just go out to eat?"

"Dude! These things cook in no time. Come on. I'll heat the water," Darcy offered.

"...Okay," he agreed.

While Darcy pulled a stock pot from a cabinet and filled it with water, Bucky lit a pilot on the stove.

"It won't take long. I promise," she assured him.

"Where's the sauce?" he asked.

"Oh...yeah, I don't think I have any," she confessed looking in a different cabinet.

Bucky returned to the refrigerator and had another look. Picking up a bottle of ketchup, he stared at it as he thought for a few moments.

"You got any spices?" he wondered.

"Sure do!" Darcy said and opened a drawer.

Looking at the dozen bottles of spices, Bucky exclaimed, "You have noodles and a drawer full of spices, but you've got no spaghetti sauce?"

"I never claimed to be Jamie Oliver, so you need to lower your expectations, son," she joked.

Laughing, Bucky shook his head from side to side.

"Expectations lowered," he advised.

As he poked through her spice drawer, Darcy emptied the noodles into the boiling water in the stock pot.

"So, how do you know how to cook?" she wondered. "You look like a protein shakes and granola bars kind of guy."

"There's more to me than protein shakes," he declared. "Besides, bachelors have to feed themselves, you know," he said as he took a sauce pan from a cabinet. He then removed the cap from the bottle of ketchup and shook out its contents. "Now, we just need the right spices."

Bucky pulled a few small bottles out of the drawer.

"What are you doing?" Darcy asked.

"Watch and learn," he replied. "Let's see...oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Oh, do you have vodka?"

Darcy let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, it's a party now! Are we cooking or getting drunk?"

"Cooking. Trust me ― you'll like it," assured Bucky.

"I will _now,"_ Darcy said. She opened a low cabinet and squatted in front of it. "Here it is!" she exclaimed as she handed half a bottle to him.

"Okay, why do you have vodka and beer but no food? Darcy, is there something you want to tell me?" the grinning soldier asked.

"No, I do not have a drinking problem, Winter, so don't judge me."

"When's the last time you ate ― the last time I saw you?"

"Of course not!" she snapped.

Bucky suspected she was lying and gave her a suspicious look.

"Hey! Who asked for the vodka ― me or _you?"_ she challenged.

Laughing, Bucky advised, "It's for the sauce!"

"Yeah, so _you_ say," she joked.

"Well, that kinda blew up in my face."

"What?" asked Darcy.

"Oh, nothing...Why don't you check the noodles?"

Darcy stared at him for a moment and then used a large fork to stir the noodles and then plucked a few out of the boiling water. She pulled one noodle from the fork and barely missed hitting Bucky when she flung it at the wall.

"Hey! What was that?" the shocked soldier exclaimed.

"That's how you test the noodles to see if they're done. If they stick to the wall, you're good to go," Darcy explained.

"They're supposed to be 'al dente.' You just chew one of the noodles to test it," advised Bucky.

"Really? Hmm...well, I like my way better," she said before flicking another noodle which failed to make it to the wall and landed on Bucky's right forearm instead.

"Ow!" he yelled. "That's hot!"

"I'm so sorry!" Darcy apologized.

Bucky peeled the noodle off his arm and threw it back at her. When it hit her outstretched hand, Darcy yelped.

"Ouch! That IS hot. Dang!" she said as she removed the noodle from her hand and then took a bite of it.

"Is it ready?" asked Bucky.

"I don't know. Maybe," she replied wrinkling her nose.

Bucky took the noodle from her hand and popped it into his mouth. He chewed it for a moment before deciding.

"Yeah, it's done," the soldier decided.

"Well, you're the chef," Darcy said and then produced a colander to strain the noodles in the sink.

While her back was turned, Bucky took the opportunity to watch her. He again admired the soft cascade of her long hair and the curvature of her body. His eyes lingered for a few moments on her hips and then returned to her hair.

'I could bury my face in her hair,' he thought. 'Don't want to seem like a creep or weirdo, though. She's practically the only person who'll talk to me. Don't want to scare her off.'

Unbeknownst to Bucky, the cabinet door next to Darcy gave her the perfect vantage point to see his reflection since the door was slightly ajar. She had glanced at him 2-3 times and saw the smiling soldier as he admired her.

'OMG! He's totally checking me out! Play it cool, Darcy,' she warned herself. 'He's smiling, so that's a good sign.'

"Okay...noodles are up!" she said once all the water was drained.

"Now, we put the noodles back into the pot and pour the sauce over them," Bucky advised.

"Wow...you really know how to cook, Winter. You're gonna make someone a good wife."

Bucky froze for just a moment ― not long enough for Darcy to notice. It made him instantly sad that he was all alone in the world and would never have the type of life he thought he would have when he was young. It drove it home to him that Hydra truly had taken everything from him ― his past, present, and future.

Recovering quickly, he said to his lovely host, "It just takes practice, really."

The two served themselves and sat at Darcy's small kitchen table.

"Yum!" she exclaimed after her first bite of the spaghetti. "This is delish. Thank you for cooking, Winter."

"My pleasure," replied Bucky thankful to be eating a home-cooked meal with someone who did not hate him, even if he cooked the meal himself.

"Hey! How about some wine?" she asked jumping out of her seat.

"Uh...yeah...okay," he agreed hesitantly.

Darcy removed a bottle of red wine from the refrigerator and two glasses from an under-cabinet hanger. In the glass of a cabinet, she once again noticed the reflection of the soldier watching her.

Returning to the table, she poured wine for both of them and held up her glass to him.

"To friendship," she toasted.

Bucky stared at her for a moment and then raised his glass. Holding it up to clink against hers, he whispered, "To friendship."

As the two ate heartily, Darcy asked, "Can I ask you a question, Winter?'

"Sure," he said.

"You know Wanda Maximoff, right?"

"Yeah. Why?" Bucky wondered.

"Well, your buddy Steve asked me to meet her, and I was wondering if I should do it."

Bucky put down his fork and gave her his full attention.

"Steve asked you to meet Wanda?"

"Yeah. Should I? I mean, I don't know her, so I was wondering what she's like. Isn't she kinda young?"

"She's about nineteen or twenty, I guess."

"Wow...what could we have in common?" Darcy asked.

"Well, you're what ― twenty-one?" asked Bucky.

"I'm twenty-four."

"Wow! Twenty and twenty-four is _such_ a big difference," he said sarcastically.

"Oh, shut up," she replied.

"Anyway, I think you should do it," he suggested.

"What's she like?"

Thinking for a moment, Bucky said, "She's a nice girl. She's been through a lot, though. She's lost everything ― her family, her home. She could use a friend."

"Well, I'll take your word for it, but when Steve asked Jane to have me call him, it kinda sounded like he was arranging a 'play date.'"

"I think he's worried about how she's settling in since New York's her home now. Having someone around her own age might make things easier for her."

"Oh yeah?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm even learning Sokovian so I can converse with her in her native language. I figure it might make her feel better about being so far from home."

"Hmm...Well, I guess I'll tell Steve yes, then," Darcy said feeling better about the pending meeting.

Bucky's cell phone began to buzz, but he ignored it.

"Aren't you gonna get that?" she asked.

"I don't want to be rude," he declared.

"Go ahead and answer it," she urged.

Bucky picked up his phone and read the text message. Putting down the phone, he frowned.

"What's wrong?" Darcy asked.

"...I...I think I may have to go to Wakanda," he replied.

"Really?" she asked frowning also. "What for?"

"King T'Challa wants to see me."

"Can't you just call him?" Darcy asked hopefully.

"Nope...there's times when the King wants to talk face to face."

"Well, maybe this is one of those times when you can just call him. Maybe you could do a video chat."

Bucky let out a sharp laugh. "If he wants to see me in person and I don't go, he might send the Dora Milaje for me. No one wants that."

"The Dora who?"

"Dora Milaje. They're the king's guard. All female and tough as nails. When the Dora come knocking, you better answer. That's for sure."

"What happens if you don't answer or say no?"

"No one better say 'no' to the Dora. If they do, they'll have to deal with Okoye," Bucky advised.

"Is she the queen?" Darcy asked.

"No, she's the general ― the leader of the Dora Milaje. She already doesn't trust or like me, so I'm trying to stay on her good side."

"Why? What did you do to _her?"_ she pressed.

"She doesn't trust outsiders and especially doesn't want anyone near the King."

"I guess that makes sense," Darcy remarked. "So, when do you find out if you have to go?"

"I don't know, but if I need to go, I'll be summoned to Wakanda to meet the King at the palace."

Looking at him curiously, Darcy wondered, "Why do you have to obey the king of another country?"

"I owe the King my life!" Bucky exclaimed. "He took me in when I was being hunted all over the world and had nowhere else to go ― when my own country wanted me dead. The princess rid me of Hydra's programming so I'd have control over my own mind. There's no way I'd let them down if they needed me."

"It just seems so sudden. That's all," replied Darcy with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I know, but there's a lot going on that you don't know about ― things I can't tell you. Sometimes, things happen suddenly that require immediate action," he advised.

Darcy looked at Bucky and sighed. After a long pause, she said, "Hey, since you don't have to go yet, would you like to watch a movie? The old timey movie channel is showing a Ginger Rogers movie this evening ― 'Stage Door.' You like her, right?"

"'Old timey movie channel?'" he asked with a smirk.

"I'm sorry. I mean ― "

"No worries. I know what you mean," he interrupted. "Sure...I'd love to watch it with you," he agreed. He was pleasantly surprised that she remembered that he liked Ginger Rogers.

"Seconds?" Darcy queried.

He stared at her admiring her big brown eyes. "Huh?" he finally asked.

"Would you like seconds of spaghetti?"

"Oh...no, thanks," he said hoping she did not realize he had been staring. He looked away and began to fidget.

"I'm full, too," she confessed as she sat back in her chair.

After a moment, Bucky realized that Darcy had been staring at him and became self-conscious.

"You've got a bit of spaghetti sauce on your face," she informed him.

"I do?" he asked and then wiped his left cheek with his left hand though he would not have been able to feel it if he touched it.

"No, not there," she said.

Using his other hand, Bucky wiped his right cheek.

"Here...let me," she offered and moved her chair next to his. She stared into his large blue eyes as she used a paper napkin to gently wipe the red spot from his face.

Bucky's heart began to race and he was certain that she could hear it beat as his desire for her became impossible to deny. Suddenly, he could no longer contain himself. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he pulled her close and began to kiss her.

Darcy did not resist and placed her right hand on his left cheek. Her lips were soft and welcoming as she gently caressed the lonely soldier's face.

Just when Darcy thought it could go on forever, Bucky abruptly released her. She was surprised by the look of horror on his face.

"I can't do this," he whispered with eyes as large as saucers.

"What?" Darcy asked.

"You can't be involved with me," he stated with his right hand trembling.

"Why not?" she asked with growing concern.

"I've done horrible things. If someone wants to come for me, they might try to hurt you."

"Winter, I'd be okay. I've got Sparky," she said referring to her Taser.

Bucky lowered his head and covered his face with his hands.

"It's not that simple, Darcy," he said. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to take advantage of you," he pleaded.

Darcy knelt next to Bucky's chair. "It's okay, Winter. You weren't taking advantage," she insisted. When they met that morning at the coffee shop, she sensed that the soldier was lonely, but it was not until now that she realized just how profound his loneliness was.

'He feels so lost and alone,' she thought.

"I'm sorry. I guess it was the wine..." he suggested.

"No need to apologize," she insisted. She very much enjoyed the kiss but did not think she should tell him.

'Don't say it, Darcy. Don't say it!' she scolded, but before she could stop herself, she blurted it out.

"I really liked the kiss, Winter."

Surprised, Bucky slowly lowered his hands and gazed at her.

"Darcy, ―"

"I don't care what you did in the past ― when you were brainwashed. It wasn't your fault. You're not that person. You're a good man."

"Not everyone sees it that way, Darcy. Some want to see me pay for what I've done. I don't want you indirectly involved in that or to suffer because of me. If anything happened to you...I...I'd never forgive myself."

Darcy was shocked. She did not realized that he was so protective of her and was at a loss for words.

"I should go," Bucky suggested and rose from his chair.

"No, you can't go. We were going to watch that movie ― the one with the actress you like. Please stay."

After several moments of thought, Bucky slowly nodded his head.

'It breaks my heart that he seems so fragile. The poor guy is so misunderstood,' she thought.

"Okay. How about you go sit on the couch, and I'll make some coffee for us?" she suggested.

"All right," he almost whispered. "Can I help you with the dishes?" Bucky asked solemnly.

"Nope. I'm gonna let those suckers soak," she replied defiantly.

Bucky suddenly burst into laughter. There is was again ― "the Darcy effect." No matter how sad he felt, she was always able to make him laugh.

Sitting down on her couch, he turned on the TV and, like the last time he visited, he tuned the channel to the news.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen Darcy placed the plates and silverware in the sink, filled it until the water covered them, and poured water from her pitcher of filtered water into a blue kettle. She then placed non-matching coffee mugs on the counter and opened a drawer to retrieve a teaspoon. As she placed a jar of instant coffee next to the mugs, she thought she had better warn Bucky.

"Hey, Winter? The coffee is instant. I hope that's okay."

When he did not answer, she turned to look at him.

"Winter?"

"Huh? Oh, that's fine," he said absentmindedly as he watched a news story about a local man who had been held up at gunpoint.

'He sure loves the dang news,' she thought. 'He needs a break from that. Too much like work.'

From where he sat, Bucky could hear Darcy's lovely voice as she sang softly in the kitchen.

"Sweet sweet fantasy baby, when I close my eyes, you come and you Tase me..."

"Darcy!" Bucky barked.

Startled, she asked, "What?"

"What are you singing?"

"...Oh...nothing..."

"Are those really the words to that song?" he asked skeptically.

"Nah, bro! I just make shi― uh...stuff up. It's funner that way."

'Hmm...'funner,' Bucky thought.

When the kettle whistled, Darcy poured the boiling water into the mugs and stirred in the instant coffee. She took the mugs over and placed the hot brew on the coffee table in front of her guest.

As she sat down next to him, Bucky asked, "So, which channel is the 'old timey movie channel?'"

"Come on! I said I was sorry, dude. We all make mistakes...like me wearing this SpongeBob shirt."

They both laughed and Bucky declared, "You're forgiven."

"Gimme," Darcy said taking the remote control from him and changing the channel. "'Stage Door' is about to start."

As the movie began, Bucky picked up his coffee cup. When he took his first sip, his eyes crossed. 'This is awful!' he thought and immediately wanted to spit it out. 'We had better brew in the army,' he reminded himself.

Bucky looked around Darcy's apartment to see if there was a potted plant into which he could pour the coffee, but there were none.

'Come on, Buck. You led troops into war. You've dealt with worse. You can do this,' he encouraged himself.

"How's the coffee? Good?" Darcy asked cheerfully.

Bucky smiled and nodded not wishing to insult her by complaining. He decided that no matter how bad it was, he would finish it.

Placing the mug on the coffee table, he explained, "It's a little hot."

Darcy smiled at him and continued to watch the movie.

As the evening progressed, the two became drowsy. When Darcy roused herself and looked over at Bucky, he was asleep with his head on a pillow which rested on the armrest of her couch. She quietly picked up the empty coffee mugs and took them to the kitchen. She then proceeded to walk to a cabinet just outside her bedroom. There, she pulled out a blanket and took it to the couch. Unfolding it, she then spread it over Bucky as he slept.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, his lightning fast cybernetic hand grabbed her right wrist tightly.

"It's me, Winter ― Darcy," she whispered.

Bucky opened his right eye and stared at her for a moment before closing it again as he slowly loosened his grip on her wrist and went back to sleep.

Darcy turned off the TV and retired to her bedroom. She changed into her pajamas, turned off the light, and climbed into bed.

Looking up at the ceiling in the dark room, she said, "Lord? It's me ― Darcy. I wanna thank you for putting that gorgeous man on my couch. I'd rather he be here next to me, but I know you have more important things to do, so we'll work on that. Please watch over him and give him something to be happy about. He's a good man and deserves that. Thank you."

She closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky’s sudden disappearance sends Darcy into an emotional tailspin.

The next morning, Bucky was awakened by the sound of running water. Darcy was in the kitchen washing last night’s dishes and trying not to disturb him. Wearing a black t-shirt, denim shorts, and no shoes, she tapped her right foot and swayed as she silently mouthed the words to a song.

‘What the hell?’ Bucky thought not realizing that he had fallen asleep at the brunette’s apartment.

Focusing his eyes on her as she stood at the sink, he called, “Darcy?”

“Oh, hey! You’re up. Dude, you’ve got some gnarly bed hair goin’ on there,” she laughed.

“Sha up,” he said in mid yawn as he stretched his arms. His spine made an audible pop, which amused Darcy.

“Dang! You _are_ old! Only old bones crack like that,” she joked.

Looking at her through hooded eyes, the soldier asked, “I fell asleep here?”

“Nah, you fell asleep at the coffee shop and I carried you here,” she deadpanned.

“You’re a smart-ass. You know that?” he said as he stood and began to fold his blanket.

“Well, ‘birds of a feather...’” she quipped.

Bucky suddenly looked curiously out the nearest window.

“What time is it?” he asked urgently.

Darcy shrugged her shoulders and replied, “About 8 o’clock, I think. Why?”

“8 o’clock? Why did you let me sleep so late?” he exclaimed.

“Dude, I don’t know what time you get up.”

“No later than 5 o’clock,” he proudly informed her.

“5 o’clock?” She asked with dismay. “What the hell for? It’s not like you have a job...well, not a _real_ one anyway,” Darcy remarked.

“Hey!” Bucky protested.

“Sorry...you know what I mean.”

“I get up no later than 5 o’clock and check for any messages I might have slept through. If I have none, then I work out for 3 hours and then do whatever work I have to do.”

“You seriously work out for 3 hours?” she queried.

“Yeah...sometimes 4 if I don’t have anything pressing that I need to do.”

“Man, you’re the biggest gym rat I’ve ever met,” Darcy teased.

“I don’t go to the gym. I just exercise at home and jog,” he replied.

“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t see anything wrong with a little exercise, but that’s a heck of a lot of commitment. I mean, there IS such a thing as overdoing it.”

Bucky sarcastically remarked, “I’ll remember that the next time I’m duking it out with Georges Batroc or that jerk Crossbones.”

“You’re right,” Darcy admitted after giving it some thought. “You need to be in good shape to fight the bad guys. Sorry about that.”

Bucky gave her a crooked smile. “No worries. So, can I use your bathroom?”

Darcy considered joking with him by saying no but thought better of it given his “smart-ass” comment.

“Sure. Go ahead,” she offered. She then watched as the soldier slowly walked away from her and wondered about his emotional state.

In the bathroom, Bucky pulled a black elastic band from the front pocket of his jeans and tied his hair back into a bun. He then removed his t-shirt, turned on the faucet, and cupped his hands under the flowing stream. The cold water felt good on his face as he tried to rouse himself.

All of a sudden, the door opened and Darcy poked her head through the gap.

“Hey, Winter! How do you feel about oatmeal?” she queried.

“Darcy!” he barked.

“What?”

“I could have been naked!”

“But you’re not,” she explained. “Too bad you _weren’t,”_ she mumbled.

“What?” the startled soldier asked.

“I said, ‘How do you feel about oatmeal?’” she replied with an apologetic look.

“Okay, the puppy eyes work today,” he concluded and then splashed more water on his face.

“So, I’ll take that as a yes,” she decided.

Looking at the shirtless soldier’s back, she noticed a small circular scar.

“Hey, is that a bullet wound?” Darcy wondered.

Bucky stood up abruptly and stared at her. After a pause, he confessed, “Yes...yes, it is.”

“What kind of weasel would shoot you in the back?” she lamented.

Reaching for a towel, he declared, “Not everyone fights fair, Darcy. When I was with Hydra, I didn’t.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” she said quietly and felt sorry for the former prisoner of war.

As her curiosity got the better of her, she could not help but ask, “Who pulled it out?”

When Bucky lowered his head and did not respond, Darcy felt sick to her stomach and guilty for asking.

“I’m so sorry. I’ll start the oatmeal,” she offered and closed the door.

In the kitchen, she removed a box of oatmeal from an overhead cabinet.

‘My God...I’ll bet he either pulled that bullet out himself or it’s still in him. He just can’t catch a break,’ she thought as she stood at her stove fighting back tears. She decided that she would do whatever she could to make things pleasant for him.

Meanwhile, Bucky dried himself and put his shirt back on. When Darcy heard his footsteps approaching, she quickly wiped her eyes and stirred to the oatmeal.

“Darcy, where’s my cell phone?” Bucky asked looking around the living room anxiously.

“I think you left it on the coffee table,” she replied.

“It’s not there,” he said and then squatted to look under the couch.

“Oh, I’m sorry! It’s here on the table,” she said picking it up and handing it to him.

“Thanks,” he replied. Sitting at the table, he turned on the volume and checked to see if he had missed any messages. “I guess no news is good news,” he decided and then put the phone back on the table.

Darcy looked at him and smiled as she spooned oatmeal into a bowl for him.

“How do you take it ― plain, with butter, sugar, or cinnamon?”

“Hm...I haven’t had oatmeal since I was a kid. I think I’ll just have it plain, thanks.”

“Plain? Come on, Winter. Live a little,” she joked. “I’ll leave the cinnamon here in case you change your mind,” she offered placing the jar in the middle of the table.

After having Darcy’s instant coffee the night before, Bucky was leery about eating her oatmeal. To his surprise, it was to his liking.

“Hey, this is pretty good,” he remarked.

“Don’t act so surprised, Winter!” she exclaimed and rubbed his right forearm.

“You’re gonna make someone a good wife, Darcy Lewis,” he teased.

The two stared at each other for a moment and then resumed eating.

When he finished his breakfast, Bucky awkwardly said, “So...I’m gonna go work out. I’ll be back in about 3 hours. You don’t mind if I come back, do you?”

To be honest, he never wanted to leave.

‘He’s coming back!’ Darcy thought excitedly.

“No, that’s cool,” she said casually as if she did not care, but her heart was pounding as she stood and took his bowl to the sink. “I’m gonna go to the library and get Jane’s books, but I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay,” he said and rose from his chair. He walked over to her and stood nervously for a moment. Then, he slowly slipped his right arm around her waist and kissed her softly.

Turning to leave, Bucky smiled shyly and then bit his bottom lip.

“See you later, then,” Darcy said as she stood with her back against the kitchen counter.

When Bucky left her apartment, she squealed with glee. “Holy crap! I can’t believe this is really happening.”

Soon after Bucky departed, Darcy went to the library to pick up the books that her boss Jane Foster reserved and delivered them to her.

“Thanks for getting these, Darcy. You seem pretty chipper today,” the scientist observed as her assistant fidgeted and smiled to herself. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, nothing...just in a good mood. Maybe I’ve had too much coffee. Who knows?” Darcy replied. She wanted to blurt out, “I’m dating the Winter Soldier,” but realized the disapproval and concern that would cause.

“Well, okay...if you say so,” replied Jane.

“Hey, if you don’t have anything else for me to do today, would you mind if I take the rest of the day off? A friend of mine from out of town is here, and I kinda told him I’d spend some time with him.”

“Really? I don’t think you’ve ever told me about him. Is this a boyfriend? What’s he like?” Jane pried.

“Aw, he’s just...you know...a guy. No one special.”

Sensing that her assistant did not want to talk about it, Jane decided to let it drop for now.

“Well, sure. You can have the rest of the day off, but I want to hear the details of his visit. Promise?”

“Details? Yeah...sure...I’ll give you all the ‘deets’ tomorrow,” Darcy agreed already trying to figure out how to tell her boss that the most lethal man on the planet was couch surfing at her place.

Returning to her apartment, Darcy excitedly began to tidy the place before Bucky’s impending return. Assuming that he would stay for dinner, she looked in her refrigerator and saw nothing but condiments and a bowl of leftover spaghetti.

“Well, yesterday, Winter was looking for leftover spaghetti, so now he’s got it,” she laughed.

Soon, Darcy realized that she was beginning to clock watch. With every passing hour, she became more anxious to see Bucky.

‘Okay, Darcy. Here you are pining and fidgeting like Jane did when she was waiting for Thor to return from Asgard. You told yourself you wouldn’t do that, yet here you are jumping at every sound you hear in the hallway. Get it together!’ she scolded herself.

To take her mind off his tardiness, she turned on the TV and watched the news. When she became bored with that, she switched to a movie that she had already seen before. By 7 o’clock, she was sitting on the couch with her bare feet on the coffee table. In her lap was the bowl of cold spaghetti which she was eating using a large salad fork.

‘He’s never coming back,’ she thought and woefully wondered what she may have done to turn him away.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. Jumping up from the couch, she placed the bowl of spaghetti on the coffee table and excitedly ran to the door. ‘He’s finally here!’ she thought but was bitterly disappointed when she peered through the peephole in the door and saw her superintendent Mr. Higgins standing there. Darcy took a moment to quiet her nerves before she opened the door.

“Mr. Higgins? Hi, how are you?” she asked as she fought back tears.

“I’m fine, Miss Lewis. Sorry to disturb you, but I found this package at the door of my apartment. I thought I’d bring it to you tonight in case it was something important.”

“Oh, I appreciate that, Mr. Higgins. Thank you,” she said.

“Are you all right, young lady?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Sir.”

“You look a bit sad, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“Oh, I was just watching a really sad movie. I’m a big baby when it comes to those.”

“Well, I won’t keep you, Miss Lewis. You have a nice evening,” the elderly man said.

“Thanks, Mr. Higgins. You, too!” she replied and closed the door.

Darcy’s heart was breaking as she yearned for Bucky, and she was angry with herself for letting it show.

Carrying the box to the couch, she sat down and looked at it. The only writing on it was her first and last name in large block letters. At first, she was going to set it aside and open it later but then changed her mind. She placed the box on the coffee table and then got a pair of sharp scissors from a drawer in her nearby desk. Scoring the tape, she opened the box and was shocked by what she found. Inside was a note on 5x8 inch plain white paper, a cell phone, a smaller box containing a brand new .mp3 player, and a $200 gift card to the coffee shop down the street.

“What the hell!?” Darcy exclaimed. Quickly, she began to read the note.

> Dear Darcy,
> 
> I’m sorry to leave without saying good-bye. On my way back, I got a message from King T’Challa’s secretary. The King requested my presence immediately. He sent a private jet to take me to Wakanda, so I didn’t have time to get back to you.
> 
> Please accept the .mp3 player to replace your broken one. It’s got twice the memory, so you can store all the songs you make up lyrics for.
> 
> Use the gift card when you and Wanda go out for coffee. She loves it as much as you do.
> 
> The cell phone is in case of emergency. It has one of my cell numbers saved in the index so you can reach me. Keep the phone with you at all times.
> 
> I look forward to seeing you when I return.
> 
> Yours,  
>  ‘Winter’ 

Darcy burst into tears. She knew that Bucky was a kind and generous man, but she felt that he outdid himself this time. It took her 10 minutes to calm herself and when she did, she called the number that Steve Rogers gave her for Wanda Maximoff and asked if Wanda could meet for lunch the next day. Darcy thought that Bucky would like that.

* * * * * *

Two weeks later, Darcy was sitting at her desk typing a research paper from her boss Jane’s notes. She was wearing a light blue t-shirt, jeans, and black and white saddle oxfords as she glanced at the clock. It was dinner time, and she was becoming hungry. Suddenly, her doorbell buzzed.

“Okay, okay!” she whined as she saved her work. She stood and stretched before dragging herself to the door.

“Yeah?” she moaned into the speaker.

“You gonna leave me standing out here all day?” a familiar voice asked.

“WINTER!” she screamed and then hit the button to let him into the building.

By the time Bucky was halfway up the flight of stairs, Darcy was standing at the top of the landing beaming with joy.

“You miss me?” he asked when he reached the top step. He was wearing all black, was tanned from the Wakanda sun, and his hair was pulled back into a bun.

Darcy threw her arms around his neck, jumped up, and wrapped her legs around his hips.

“Hell yeah, and I’m gonna show you just how much!” she promised before kissing him passionately.

Across the hall, Darcy’s thirty-something neighbors opened their door to leave and saw the two engaged in the ardent kiss.

They watched as Darcy removed the elastic band which released Bucky’s neck-length hair. He carried her into her apartment and used his left foot to kick the door closed behind them.

“Why don’t you ever do that to me?’ the wife asked her husband.

The man scoffed, glared at Darcy’s door, and growled, “Humph! Showoffs!”

As Bucky carried Darcy into her bedroom, she said, “I hope your hair is glued on tight because you’re about to get a ‘thank you’ that’ll blow you away!”

“Oh, I’m _counting_ on it,” the grinning soldier replied.

* * * * * *

Five minutes later, Mr. Higgins received a phone call from Darcy’s next-door neighbor, Mrs. Carter.

“Mr. Higgins,” the sixty-something widow said. “I think Miss Lewis is hanging pictures in her apartment. You said that we couldn’t put holes in the walls without the landlord’s permission. You said that,” she reminded him.

“Now, Mrs. Carter, what makes you think Miss Lewis is hanging pictures?” the superintendent asked.

“Because I can hear banging against her bedroom wall,” the neighbor explained. “You said we’re not allowed to do that.”

Mr. Higgins thought for a moment and then smiled. “Don’t worry about it, Mrs. Carter. I’ll speak to Miss Lewis and get to the bottom of it,” he promised.

“Thank you, Mr. Higgins. You have a good evening, Sir,” the widow bade.

“And you as well, ma’am.”

When Mr. Higgins hung up the phone, he could not help but chuckle. He had a good idea what the banging was because he had seen Bucky climbing the stairs to Darcy’s apartment about 5 minutes ago.

“I like that young man,” he said to himself. “I really like him.”


	4. Epilogue

Darcy lay on her back in bed and stared at the ceiling as the warm noon sun shined through her blue bedroom curtains. She hugged the flat sheet which covered her otherwise bare breasts.

Bucky lay to her right on his left side with his head propped up by his left arm. With his right index finger, he slowly traced Darcy's nose and lips as if he were transfixed by them.

"What do you want to do today?" she asked the soldier.

Quietly, he replied, "I'm doing it right now."

Darcy smiled at him adoringly.

"We can't stay in bed the _whole_ day."

"Why not?" he asked as he continued to methodically trace her face with his finger.

"You're amazing, Bucky Barnes. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I was gonna say the same thing to _you."_

"What ― that you're an amazing guy?" she joked.

Bucky laughed and laid his head on her chest. "Thank you, Darcy," he whispered.

"For what ― the awesome, mind-blowing sex?"

With Bucky's face obscured by his long hair, Darcy could not see his expression, but she could feel him trembling with laughter against her chest.

"That too," he said, "but thanks for accepting me as I am ― for not treating me like I'm a monster."

It made her sad when he used that word to describe himself because she knew him to be anything but. She kissed the top of his head and then rested her chin there.

"Are you going to go workout today?" wondered Darcy.

"I just did ― _twice,_ actually...plus three times last night," he replied with a grin.

"Yeah, and I'm sure my neighbors really appreciate your stamina ― _not!"_

Looking up at her, Bucky advised, "Hey, _I'm_ not the one who was screaming."

"Yeah, you _are_ kinda quiet. What's up with that?" she wondered.

"...Training..." he said hinting at his time with Hydra. He then sat up in bed. Standing, he walked across the room to the bathroom.

'Zero body fat and totally ripped. He is UNreal ― like a statue of a Greek god with a MUCH bigger fig leaf,' she thought. Then, she realized something as she gazed at the naked soldier splashing water on his face with the bathroom door open.

'He's got no tan lines. What the hell was he doing in Wakanda that he got a tan with no tan lines?'

Turning to face Darcy, he smiled at her affectionately.

"Are you blushing?" he wondered.

"Who ― _me?_ No! Of course not. It's just...a little warm in here, that's all."

"Oh, I'll open the window," Bucky offered.

The soldier approached the window and drew back the curtains. As he stood there for a moment releasing the latch, Darcy said, "Winter, put on some pants!"

"Huh? Oh..." he replied as he noticed a woman in an apartment across the alley admiring him through her window.

As the afternoon sun washed over the rugged soldier, Darcy felt compelled to tell Bucky how she felt about him but did not.

'What if he thinks I'm just a silly girl? I want him to take me seriously,' the smitten young woman thought.

Bucky walked over and joined her once again.

"We should think about getting something to eat," she suggested.

"...Okay," he agreed reluctantly, but all he wanted to do was spend the day in bed with her.

The two lay there staring at the ceiling. Finally, Darcy spoke.

"You really don't want to go out, do you?"

"...No," Bucky quietly confessed.

Knowing that the soldier normally had a healthy diet, she suggested, "We could order a pizza so we don't have to leave."

Bucky's face lit up and he vigorously nodded his head happy that they could stay in.

Reaching for her cell phone to order, Darcy sat up and said, "Name your poison, big boy."

"We can have whatever you want," he suggested as he lovingly kissed her neck.

"Oh...we'll need a card," she realized.

"I've got lots of cash. Order from Luigi's. We don't have to pay until they deliver it," he advised.

"For real?"

"Yeah," he said as he moved her long hair aside so he could kiss the back of her neck. "Just tell 'em it's for 'James.' They know me and Steve." He turned her slightly to their right so that he was now behind her and gently cupped her breasts as he buried his face in her hair.

"Cool," she said as she searched for Luigi's phone number. 'That pie better get here fast or I'm doing this guy again.'

When Darcy finished placing their order, she put her phone on the nightstand and turned to face Bucky.

"I should go shower before the pie gets here," she said.

Without responding, he pulled her down on the pillows and the two kissed fervidly.

He knew that at some point, he would have to leave and go back to work. That would be difficult for him, so he did not want to think about it. All he wanted was to be with Darcy right now. With her, he felt loved and appreciated ― that he mattered. With her in his corner, he knew he could face a world that seemed decidedly against him.

**Author's Note:**

> © 2019 Planet Press 
> 
> The Marvel characters herein are the property of Marvel Comics which retains the rights. The character of Mr. Higgins is a creation of this author.


End file.
